Elden Ring Nightreign's Network Tests Reveal an Unexpected Inspiration: God of War: Ascension
The recent network tests for Elden Ring Nightreign, FromSoftware's upcoming multiplayer spin-off, revealed a surprising influence: 2013's often-overlooked God of War: Ascension. Unlike the single-player focus of its predecessor, Nightreign adopts a streamlined survival format similar to Fortnite, pitting three-player teams against waves of enemies and challenging bosses within a shrinking map.
While Nightreign's surface resembles battle royale titles, its core gameplay mechanics share striking similarities with Ascension's multiplayer mode, "Trial of the Gods." Both feature cooperative PvE gameplay where teams face increasingly difficult enemies, including bosses from previous games. Both also incorporate a time-sensitive element with shrinking maps or countdown timers.
This connection is particularly interesting given the contrasting styles of the franchises. God of War emphasizes powerful characters capable of slaying gods, while the Soulslike genre often presents players as vulnerable, struggling against overwhelming odds. Nightreign, however, seems to recapture the frantic, exhilarating pace of Ascension's Trial of the Gods, forcing players to rely on instinct and quick thinking, mirroring the high-speed combat and limited resources. Enhanced movement abilities, similar to those in Ascension, compensate for the absence of Torrent, the mount from the main Elden Ring game.
Ascension's multiplayer mode, often criticized for its deviation from the single-player formula, successfully adapted the core combat into a fast-paced, cooperative experience. Nightreign appears to follow a similar path, leveraging the familiar combat while introducing new constraints to heighten the challenge and urgency. Both games also share a common thread: development without direct oversight from their respective series creators.
The poll below asks which game boasts the best now-forgotten multiplayer mode.
AnswerSee ResultsUltimately, Nightreign's design choices, echoing those of Ascension's often-overlooked multiplayer, suggest a deliberate attempt to recapture a specific type of high-stakes, fast-paced cooperative action. The result, based on early impressions, appears to be a thrilling and challenging experience that stands apart from the core Elden Ring gameplay.
